"Our physiological theories should be adequate to account for all the vital phenomena both in health and disorder, or they can never be maintained as good theories[63]."
OF RESPIRATION. CAUTIOUS REASONING. HAD ALL REASONED
THUS, WE MIGHT HAVE ESCAPED MUCH UNSOUND THEORIZING
ON THIS IMPORTANT PROCESS.
"Chemists have considered the change as contributory to the production of animal heat, which opinion may, indeed, be true, though the manner in which it produces such an effect has not, as yet, been explained. Mr. Hunter, who believed that life had the power of regulating temperature, independently of respiration, says nothing of that process as directly contributing to such an effect. He says: 'Breathing seems to render life to the blood, and the blood conveys it to every part of the body,' yet he believes the blood derives its vitality also from the food. I am at a loss to know what chemists now think respecting heat, whether they consider it to be a distinct species of matter, or mere motion and vibration. Among the curious revolutions which this age has produced, those of chemical opinions have a fair claim to distinction. To show which, I may add, that a lady[64], on her first marriage, was wedded to that scientific champion who first overthrew phlogiston, and established, in its stead, the empire of caloric; and after his decease, on her second nuptials, was united to the man who vainly supposed he had subverted the rule of caloric and restored the ancient but long-banished dynasty of motion and vibration. In this state of perplexity, I cannot, with prudence or probable security, advance one step further than Mr. Hunter has led me. I must believe respiration to be essential to life, and that life has the power, by its actions, of maintaining and regulating temperature[65]."
CHARACTERISTIC, BOTH AS TO ILLUSTRATION AND MORAL
BEARING.
"Those of the medical profession must readily accord with the remark of Shakspeare, that such affections (disturbed states of the nervous system) which may well indeed be called 'master passions,' sway us to their mood in what we like or loathe. For we well know that our patients and ourselves, from disturbance of the nervous functions of the digestive organs, producing such affections of the brain, may become irritable, petulant, and violent about trifles, or oppressed, morose, and desponding. Permit me, however, to add that those of the medical profession must be equally apprized that when the functions of the mind are not disturbed by such affections, it displays great energy of thought, and evidence of established character, even in death. Have we not lately heard that the last words of Nelson were: 'Tell Collingwood to bring the fleet to an anchor?' Shakspeare has also represented Mercutio continuing to jest, though he was mortally wounded; the expiring Hotspur thinking of nothing but honour, and the dying Falstaff cracking his jokes on Bardolph's nose. I request you to excuse this digression, which I have been induced to make, from perceiving that, if such facts were duly attended to, they would prompt us to a more liberal allowance for each other's conduct, under certain circumstances, than we are accustomed to do; and also incite us to the more active and constant performance of the great business of human life—the education of the mind; for, according to its knowledge and dispositions, do we possess the ability of contributing to our own welfare and comfort, and that of others[66]."
"The proposition is this:—I say that Local disease, injury, or irritation, may disturb the whole system, and conversely, disturbance of the whole system, may affect any part." (Surgical Lectures.)
[40] Oersted's experiments, which by some are regarded as identifying these powers, occurred in 1820, four or five years after the delivery of this Lecture.